Bernardo

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"Dublin is socially and culturally a good mix. Everyone wants to know who you are and not necessarily what you do."

Bernardo

Occupation:

Consultant

Current Country:

Germany

Country of Origin:

Argentina

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I was born in Germany. My mother comes from Argentina and my father is German. When I was eight years old, my parents decided to return to Argentina where I ‘culturally’ grew up. When I turned 25, I left for Dublin to take up a management position in a hotel where I ended up staying for 10 years. Three years ago, I decided to come back to Germany.

I enjoyed going to Argentina when I was 8. It was always warm, people were much more open. It was simply exciting.

After my studies, I started to work in the management of luxury hotels. I knew I would have to travel a lot.

Anyway, the crisis in Argentina in 2001 helped me take a decision. First, I went to the United States where I stayed for 8 months. Then I spent a year traveling through Europe and I stopped over in Dublin which seemed to me the most interesting city: very lively, young and professionally rich.

Dublin is socially and culturally the perfect intermediate between Argentina and Germany: it is not as disorganized as South America but still not as disciplined as it is in Germany. And in terms of people, Dublin is just great. Everyone wants to know who you are and not necessarily what you do.

Here in Germany people want to classify others according to their education and positions. After Argentina and Ireland, it was a shock to be back here, in my homeland somehow. I feel sometimes that people here are ‘petite bourgeoisie’, not always tolerant, nor open and not so patient.

I don’t know yet if I'll stay here. Everything will depend on work opportunities and I don’t know where I’ll end up. My girlfriend is Polish. If my employer sends me somewhere else again, we will probably leave. I would not like go back to Argentina nor Ireland, which are closed chapters for me now. I would like to move to a completely new place. Discover new places, new people.